Turkey, Iran conduct joint operation against PKK

ANKARA

Around 600 Turkish and Iranian forces recently carried out a joint operation against the PKK on Turkey’s eastern border, the country’s interior minister said Monday.

“We completed an operation in coordination [with Iran] that we had discussed for a long time in Igdir, Hakkari, Van and Agri provinces,” said Suleyman Soylu, adding the operation was conducted between March 18 and 23.

The two sides said they are determined to continue carrying out such joint counter-terrorism operations.

Last week, Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister Muhterem Ince and his Iranian counterpart Hussein Zulfiqari said they were pleased to have reached an agreement on launching a simultaneous operation against terror groups that threaten the security of both countries, Turkey’s Interior Ministry said in a statement.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of nearly 40,000 people, including women and children.

*Writing by Erdogan Cagatay Zontur